Chest Pain associated with GERD?

[concernedgirlfriend104]

Hello, my boyfriend has been experiencing severe chronic chest pains. The pain stays in four general areas: over the left breast, the bottom of the left rib, the left side, and the left bottom side of his back. His first visit to the hospital he was diagnosed with anxiety issues but his anxiety has not been a problem for a month now and yet, the pain still remains and is getting worse over time. He has seen a primary care physician in his home town who immediately ran him for symptoms of a heart attack or any other detectable cardiac issues. He was cleared on that but returning to the ER again for chest pain, they sent him to a cardiologist. He has had several tests done such as a chest x-ray, EKG, blood tests, and even a stress test. All tests came back clear and neither times have these doctors given him any type of diagnosis. We tried going to another  hospital in a different town and told them his situation and how the tests all came back clear. This doctor suggested that it was GERD and prescribed him (what I think was) Protonix. He was prescribed to take these for two weeks only. While on them, the pain seemed to dull but never fully cured and even now while on the medicine he says the pain is worse than before. The doctor mentioned something about ulcers. Would ulcers be the cause of such severe and constant pain regardless of the GERD medicine prescribed? The doctor mentioned that the medicine would help if it were an ulcer.

Does this still sound like a symptom of GERD or should we request the doctors move on to something else? This has been such a frustrating experience for him and the pain is so bad his quality of life is depleting. We are just ready for someone to give us the right answer so that his quality of life can go back to normal.

[Lillye]

I have the exact same problems with the chest pains..I have a lot of belching also...I went to the emergency room twice and then had all the cardiac tests--EKG, stress test, myriad of blood work, holster monitor and spiral cardiac CT --all excellent results----I have exercised for years and I also have mitral valve prolapse....in 2011 I had digestive issues for the first time in my life and was nauseated for 6 months...I lost 30 pounds and was thin to begin with...I am having a nuclear stress test on Tuesday and it is done with drugs and injections---I am a bit nervous but feel I need it to rule out a problem--have either of you had this?

[Lillye]

I have the exact same problems with the chest pains..I have a lot of belching also...I went to the emergency room twice and then had all the cardiac tests--EKG, stress test, myriad of blood work, holster monitor and spiral cardiac CT --all excellent results----I have exercised for years and I also have mitral valve prolapse....in 2011 I had digestive issues for the first time in my life and was nauseated for 6 months...I lost 30 pounds and was thin to begin with...I am having a nuclear stress test on Tuesday and it is done with drugs and injections---I am a bit nervous but feel I need it to rule out a problem--have either of you had this?

[Tommy5858]

Two years ago I spent two days in cardiac care unit only to find I had a small ulcer in my esophagus. I surprised his doctors have not thought of doing an ENT yet.

[concernedgirlfriend104]

He does not. The last hospital we went to that said it might be GERD suggested he schedule an endoscopic exam but he had other appointments with the cardiologist scheduled. Should we schedule an endoscopic exam then?

[Tommy5858]

I do have gerd and chest pain along with back pain are my main symptoms. If you add stress and anxiety to it that  the problem it is magnified. Did your boyfriend have an endoscopic exam to confirm diagnosis?

[concernedgirlfriend104]

I should also mention when they ran with the "GERD" diagnosis. My boyfriend has no symptoms of heart burn and he never eats any really greasy food, etc. I'm not sure if this is just a minor symptom and not always associated with it. But wanted to throw that in there in case it helped. He said at the new doctor that his chest pain seemed to get worse when he was laying down which made her instantly conclude it was GERD but she never did any further examinations to be sure so it seemed a little bit like "jumping the gun."